


Life After the End

by starrdust411



Series: Something Entirely New [3]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Childhood Trauma, Drama, F/M, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, M/M, Post-Majin Buu Saga, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Teen Romance, Teenage Drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:29:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27923824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrdust411/pseuds/starrdust411
Summary: After the defeat of Majin Buu, Earth’s warriors must come to terms with their new dynamics in this new age of peace.
Relationships: Android 18/Krillin (Dragon Ball), Chi-Chi/Son Goku (Dragon Ball), Tenshinhan/Yamcha (Dragon Ball), Videl Satan/Son Gohan
Series: Something Entirely New [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/775512
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	1. Picking Up the Pieces

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this story about a year ago, around the time I finished the previous installment in the series "Aspects of Love." That was in the late spring of 2019, so around that time, COVID-19 wasn't really a thing. I'm bringing this up because there will be mentions of school closures and the world being in a "state of emergency" post-Majin Buu. I don't know if this is potentially triggering for a parent or current student or someone who is just having a lot of anxieties about the world right now, but I wanted to give a warning just in case. It's going to be a reoccurring theme for Gohan & Videl's storyline, so just be warned that it is plot-relevant.

The sun had just begun to rise by the time Videl had made the fifth lap around the compound. On a normal day, a run like this would have taken hours and produced buckets of sweat, warm red skin, and sore leg muscles, but nothing had been normal for a long time and today Videl’s skin was hardly glistening as the final lap came to an end. A small flicker of disappointment filled him as Videl reluctantly declared this morning’s jog finished and made his way towards the entrance of the Satan estate.

His feet gradually began to slow to a less vigorous pace as he glanced down at the timer displayed on the face of his wristwatch. Another record-setting run. He sighed and walked up the front steps, the back of his hands wiping at the small prickles of sweat on his brow more out of reflex than necessity. His endurance, his strength, and his speed had all tripled ever since he had started training for the tournament with Gohan all those weeks ago, and if things hadn’t turned out the way they had he would have felt better about that knowledge.

Videl sighed and looked to his watch again, switching the screen in order to have it display the actual time. It was early and by all rights, his being awake at this hour was more than a little pointless. Orange Star High School was still closed, just like every other school in the region and maybe even the world, and Videl had nowhere to be and nothing to do. Yet a morning workout made him feel normal, even if nothing about him was normal anymore.

“Looks like I’m hitting the gym,” Videl decided as he stepped through the front door and leisurely made his way to the second-floor weight room.

Not that the equipment would do him much good. He was too strong for most of the machines and lifting weights was just as tedious, but he still hadn’t broken a real sweat and that simply wouldn’t do.

The mansion was still, the rubber soles of his sneakers creating squeaky echoes as he walked through the foyer and towards the stairs. The silence was comforting, it meant that he was the only one around, the only one awake, and that was far better than being made to endure unwanted company.

As Videl had expected the gym was empty. Flicking on the lights he was reminded how ludicrously large the room was. The Orange Star baseball team could all gather inside and go through their daily workout routine with room to spare. It was just the same as every other room inside the mansion. Dozens of empty rooms filled with the finest furniture, a pantry perpetually stocked with the finest food, a swimming pool that would be the envy of any Olympian, all for the honor of the great Mr. Satan.

_Liar._

Videl stepped inside the gym and pushed the door shut behind him as he surveyed the equipment. He settled for a simple jump rope and walked to the center of one of the floor mats. Videl began jumping in place, the rope moving so quickly it was almost invisible to the naked eye, but his feet still managed to lift themselves clear off the ground each time it made to pass the space between him as it and the mat with a light _wisp_.

No school. No class. No homework.

Everything had been put on hold in the days after Majin Buu. It hadn’t been like this after Cell. When he had been defeated everyone else had moved on so quickly that the days prior had all felt like nothing more than a bad dream the entire world had shared. Majin Buu was a different beast. Where Cell was meticulous and calculating, Buu had just been wild and childishly cruel, throwing a temper tantrum that the world was still reeling from.

Yet Buu was gone now. The world was scared but safe, everyone breathing a collective sigh and pouring their gratitude and thanks all at the feet of an undeserving fraud.

_Liar._

Videl sighed, his arms feeling more bored than tired as he continued jumping rope. He had lost count after three hundred and was now just going through the motions.

He wished that the King hadn’t declared a global state of emergency. Videl understood the reasoning behind the decision (there was still a lot of destruction left behind and recovery that needed to be completed before the world could properly move on), but without school to distract him, Videl was now faced with long hours of nothingness to fill his days. Even crime had taken a nosedive in the time since Buu’s attacks and as a result, Videl hadn’t heard from the police captain in quite some time.

A half-hour had passed, the light from the sun now spilling in properly and illuminating the floor mats and dumbbells with enough clarity to almost render the fluorescent lights useless. Videl sighed and decided to put his workout to an end. Once again he had failed to build up a real sweat, but hunger was starting to pull at his stomach and he reasoned that enough time had been wasted.

Videl put the jump rope back where he had found it, flicked the lights off, and abandoned the gym in favor of making his way towards his bedroom.

His bed was still in the same disheveled shape that he had left it in, a clear reminder that the housekeeper was still hours away from arriving, but Videl still hurriedly grabbed a fresh set of clothes before stepping into his private bathroom. He washed quickly because that was simply how he had always gone about it. Even going on a week since his last school session, it was hard to shake the habit of a frantic morning.

The shower had managed to warm his skin, but that wasn’t enough to satisfy him. More disappointing still was when he went to towel dry his hair and was reminded of its shorter state. It was yet another habit he couldn’t shake, despite the fact that it had been cut almost a month ago. Videl sighed and ran a hand along the short black bits of hair at the back of his head. He missed his long hair, the way it had hung between his shoulder blades, and sat comfortably behind his back. Years of growth gone for good after one impulsive afternoon.

Videl clenched his jaw and put those thoughts aside in favor of getting dressed. His hair would grow again. It was already a tad longer than it had been after his pre-tournament haircut. He was certain of it.

After dressing, Videl walked briskly down the stairs and towards the kitchen. It was still a bit early for the cook to be in, but he always left something for Videl to reheat and eat before heading to school. He could only hope this would be true today given that there would be no school for some time.

The scent of fresh-brewed coffee hit his nose as Videl rounded the corner and he distantly wondered if the timer on the coffee-maker had gone off early. He pushed the kitchen door open and was greeted by the sounds of pots and pans colliding together. Startled, Videl entered the kitchen to find that the coffee had indeed been brewed and a carton of eggs was currently sitting next to the lit stove where a pan was ready and waiting to be used.

Videl frowned and checked his watch again. It was too early for the cook, but this was certainly a pleasant surprise. A fresh breakfast was better than one made by the microwave.

“I didn’t expect you to be in so soon,” Videl called out as he made his way around the kitchen island in search of the cook. Yet when he looked down he didn’t see their private chef’s round figure crouched near the ground. Instead, he was greeted by the sight of his father gathering the pile of broken eggs that he had dropped on the floor.

Almost instantly Videl felt his amicable mood begin to sour, his muscles tightening and his eyes growing cold as Mr. Satan raised his head to meet Videl’s gaze. Their eyes stayed locked for only a moment, but it felt agonizingly long.

Videl hadn’t anticipated seeing his father this morning. Ever since he had gained an absurd level of fame, Mr. Satan had become prone to sleeping in, staying in bed well past noon, and spending long nights socializing with the celebrities, socialites, and legions of adoring fans that he had become acquainted with over the years. Yet here the man was, bent over on the now dirtied kitchen floor, his monogrammed bathrobe growing soiled as it unintentionally soaked up the pool of egg yolks and milk that had been dumped on the tiles.

Mr. Satan let out an awkward chuckle, the sound akin to nails scraping a chalkboard for Videl, as he hurriedly pushed himself off of the ground. “I didn’t expect you so soon either,” his father laughed. Mr. Satan had managed to gather a few of the shells in his hands and dumped them along with the bits of yolk he had recovered into the sink. “You’re usually still working away in the gym by now. I thought I would surprise you with a hearty breakfast, just like I used to make.”

“You never used to make me breakfast,” Videl reminded him tersely as he stepped over the mess still obstructing most of the ground and over to the massive chrome refrigerator door. Yanking the door open, Videl was dismayed to find no packaged breakfast left for him, a clear reminder that he had eaten the last one the morning before. “ _I_ cooked for _you_ after mom died.”

“Oh... well,” Satan fumbled, no doubt recalling all the times Videl had to wake up early to fix their breakfasts and lunches in the years before. Dinner time was the only meal that his father took care of himself, but usually, it consisted of takeout from the restaurant near the old wrestling arena where Mr. Satan had gotten his start. Videl wasn’t nostalgic for those days. He didn’t miss the loneliness or the constant weary hunger, but he did long for a time when he could look his father proudly in the eye. “That is, I know that you’ve been out of school and the cook, lazy oaf, he’s been neglecting to fix you anything himself. So I thought-”

“I haven’t had school all week,” Videl snapped as he grabbed a protein smoothie from the back of the refrigerator.

“Well… true, but…”

“I’ll be out,” Videl declared as he shoved the refrigerator shut, mindful not to use enough force to leave a dent or break the handle on the door. The last thing he wanted was to leave another mess for the cook to clean up.

“Out?”

Videl left the kitchen and made his way towards the foyer, all while pointedly ignoring his father’s presence. Yet he could tell the man was following him, the sound of his footfalls echoing in his ears even as Videl made a show of gathering his keys and capsule case, shoving both roughly into his pockets.

“Out where?” Mr. Satan repeated as he followed Videl out the front door and onto their yard. “You don’t have school, remember?”

Videl huffed and stopped in the middle of the walkway in order to concentrate. He took a moment to focus, gathering his ki the way Gohan had taught him. “I’ll be back late,” he grumbled before willing himself upward and taking off into the air.

*

Even with weeks of practice, Videl wasn’t as skilled with flying as he would like to be and as a result, the trip from Satan City to Mount Paozu was a rough one. It took him around an hour to arrive in the mountains, the morning sun keeping him company as he traveled, and by the time he landed in front of the small cabin in the wilderness his shirt was clinging to his skin thanks to a healthy layer of gritty sweat.

“Ugh,” Videl groused as he continued to pull distastefully at the clingy material. It figured that now would be when he managed to work up a good sweat. “I should have packed another shirt.”

It was unfortunate but unavoidable. Especially since he hadn’t put much thought into the trip. He had not intended to visit Gohan and her family today, but seeing his father so suddenly had put him into such a state that he had found himself moving without any thought or care. Now here he stood: sweat-soaked, frustrated, and uninvited. He still recalled the first time he had arrived at the Son home unannounced. Gohan’s father had been less than thrilled to have a teenage boy arrive at his doorstep so unexpectedly, especially when Videl had announced (nearly demanded) that he wanted to see his daughter. Looking back, Videl could understand the man’s foul tempter, but he hoped that everything that had transpired between them would result in a warmer reception today.

With a sigh, Videl made his way to the front door, the beginnings of an apology forming in his mind with each step he took. Yet the words went scattering by the wayside when the door abruptly swung open.

Videl took a quick step back in order to avoid colliding with the approaching figure and was soon greeted by the sight of Gohan’s mother carrying a large hamper in her arms. The pile of dirty clothing and linen in her grasp was towering high enough that it easily obscured Goku’s vision, forcing Videl to have to walk back a few paces to avoid crossing paths with her. It was likely an unnecessary gesture given how acute the woman’s senses were, but Videl didn’t exactly feel up to pushing his luck.

A greeting started to form on his tongue, but once again Videl was interrupted by another arrival. Goten came bustling out of the house, trailing eagerly behind her mother while holding a hefty sack in her small arms.

“Here’s another one Mother!” Goten announced, her voice bright and chipper despite the early hour, but Videl wasn’t surprised. Being farmers, the Son family had a tendency to wake with the sun and get an early start to the day and he felt confident that Goten had been up for some time now.

Goku stopped in her tracks in order to turn towards Goten, the gesture causing her to glance in Videl’s direction and take stock of his presence for the first time. “Ah, it’s Gohan’s friend!” The words would have sounded dismissive coming from anyone else, but they had been spoken in such a jovial manner that Videl knew instantly Goku regarded his presence as a welcomed surprise. “You’re here bright an’ early.”

Videl gave a sheepish laugh as he forced himself to bow apologetically. Gohan’s father was traditional and regarded proper manners above all else, a trait that Goku regarded with utter indifference. Regardless, Videl knew it would be improper to treat one with respect while being informal with the other, especially given all that Goku had done for him and humanity as a whole.

“Yes, I, uh, I’m sorry to drop by so unexpectedly,” he offered as Goku dropped her hamper to the ground in order to add Goten’s laundry bag to the pile.

“Ah, it’s nothin’,” Goku said dismissively as she rearranged her laundry. “But if you’re lookin’ for Gohan, you missed her by an hour.” Videl felt his cheeks grow a touch warm, the heat separate from the early morning sun and his recent flight. Fortunately, Goku didn’t seem to notice this as she carried on, lifting the massive hamper easily once again. “She’s off workin’ the field with her daddy today.”

“Mother and I are going to the stream to wash our clothes,” Goten announced with far too much enthusiasm. She seemed ready to take off in the direction of the river, but Goku put a stop to her movements with a quick nudge of her knee to the girl’s side.

“Nuh-uh! You ain’t goin’ nowhere missy,” Goku chided lightly. “You’ve got studyin’ to do!”

“Studying?” Videl echoed as Goten proceeded to pout dejectedly at her mother’s words. “But I thought the schools were all closed.”

“They are,” Goku confirmed. “But Goten’s homeschooled. She gets her lessons through the mail the way Gohan used to an’ ChiChi’s been makin’ them both do practice drills ‘til the schools start up again.”

“Oh,” Videl said as understanding settled upon him.

“Gohan was supposed to help me with my homework!” Goten whined defensively.

“Now, now, your father said last night he was takin’ her to the fields today,” Goku reminded her. “You shoulda asked her for help then, but you waited too long. You’ll have to finish up on your own now.”

“I’m sure I could help Goten with her homework,” Videl offered. “I don’t really have anything planned for the day anyway.”

Goku hummed as she considered Videl’s offer. She took a moment to shift the hamper in her grasp, but Videl knew it was more about balance than discomfort. Holding the hamper was probably like holding a feather in Goku’s powerful grasp. “Well, I suppose if you don’t mind,” Goku said at last. “Just do your best to keep her on track. This one has a tendency to get distracted pretty easily.”

Videl gave out a slight chuckle at the comment, the sound coming out a bit strained as Goten chose that moment to grasp his hand and tug him in the direction of the cabin. “Let’s go to my room. I’ll show you where I keep my workbooks!”

With an eager tug, Goten proceeded to drag Videl along, her grasp firm, but not nearly as tight as it could have been. Distantly, Videl heard Goku commenting that she would be back to check on them in an hour, but the two had entered the cabin before Videl could properly register the woman’s words.

“This is the kitchen,” Goten announced, waving her hand at the tidy little room where the Son family likely spent most of their day. “We just ate breakfast, but there’s some food left for a snack if you want.”

Videl chuckled. “I’ve seen your kitchen before,” he reminded her. “And I’m not hungry so…”

Goten didn’t wait for him to finish before carrying on with the tour. Her hand stayed locked in place around his wrist as she guided Videl into the living room. “This is our living room. Mother doesn’t usually come in here except to clean, but when Grandpa comes over, he likes to sit in that chair.”

His eyes drifted to the massive armchair that looked wide enough for three people. It was slumped down the middle in a way that clearly illustrated its most frequent occupant’s size. Videl had seen the chair and Gohan’s grandfather. He had quietly marveled at the man’s size in the past, but after everything he had seen and done, a giant old man didn’t seem so strange and more like an amusing novelty.

“Goten,” Videl began, hoping to remind the girl of their task, but once more he was cut off.

“This is our hallway,” Goten said, swinging her free hand back and forth to illustrate the length. “That’s Mother and Father’s room. You can’t go in there. And _that’s_ my big sister’s room. You _really_ can’t go in there because Father says boys aren’t allowed in her room, not ever!”

Another strangled laugh escaped his lips as Goten pushed open a door and stepped inside. “And this is my room,” she declared as she entered the small bedroom.

Compared to the rooms in the Satan estate, Goten’s bedroom was little more than a cupboard, but the girl kept her belongings well-organized which was more than Videl could say about his own bedroom. Videl watched as Goten step into her room before lowering herself to her hands and knees in order to crawl over to her bed and grab something hidden underneath it. She pulled out a bright colored box and opened it to reveal a stack of equally colorful workbooks. Videl sat down on the narrow bed as Goten sorted through her books, glancing at one cover before putting it aside to study the next. She went through three workbooks this way, before finally landing on a lavender colored book with the word “Science” displayed in blocky letters on the cover.

“This is the one,” Goten announced, handing the book over to Videl while she put the rest of her study guides away. “Are you good at science stuff?”

Videl shrugged as he thumbed through the course pages within the book. It looked simple enough, basic grade school level work, and he felt confident that he would be able to handle any questions Goten may have. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“My big sister’s good at science,” Goten said as she pushed her box back under the bed before crawling over to a bookshelf on the other end of the room. “She’s good at a lot of stuff. Trunks-kun says he’s good at science, but I don’t think he really is.”

“What makes you say that?” Videl chuckled.

Goten studied the row of neatly organized textbooks along the bottom bookshelf, scanning their spines before finally grasping one that seemed to match the study guide in Videl’s hands. “Because I saw his brain.”

Videl flinched at the words and Goten’s amicable tone. He stared at the girl who was currently flipping through the pages in her textbook, searching leisurely as if nothing she had just said was out of the ordinary.

“You saw… what?” Videl sputtered, hoping desperately that Goten would clarify her comment in a way that made sense. Then again, half the things this family said and did often failed to make much sense.

“I saw his brain,” Goten said again, and then seemed to reconsider. “Or maybe I was _in_ his brain? When we were Gotenks, I mean.”

“Oh!” Videl breathed, understanding pushing away the alarm that had been filling his chest. That made sense. Even if it shouldn’t.

“When we were a fusion I saw his thoughts and knew what he knew. It wasn’t long and I can’t really remember everything, but I think science is pretty confusing to him, too.”

“Well, we can’t all be as smart as your big sis,” Videl joked tightly as he slid himself from the bed and onto the floor. “Everyone has things they’re good and bad at. Besides, you’re just trying to avoid studying! Now sit down here and tell me what we’re supposed to be working on.”

Goten did as she was instructed, bringing her textbook and a pencil down to the opposite side of the rug from Videl. “I’m on chapter five.”


	2. Lunch Break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is having a good holiday season. If you celebrated Hanukkah this year, I hope it was a fun experience. If you're getting ready for Christmas then I hope you have a pleasant day. And if you're not celebrating any holidays or just feel anxious/sad/gloomy this time of year, then I hope you find some way to lift your spirits. Treat yourself to something nice, like playing your favorite movie or ordering take out from a favorite restaurant. Doing something nice for yourself can really lift your mood and give your mind a mental break from what's troubling you.

It was the sun’s rays, not the work that was making her sweat. That’s what Gohan told herself as she straightened up and wiped a gloved hand across her warm skin. Her cheeks and the tips of her hair were flecked with dirt and sweat was starting to bead on her bare arms and the back of her neck. It was a sweltering day, but just about every day in Mount Paozu was sweltering, especially when you had been working since the crack of dawn.

“The sun ain’t showin’ us any mercy today,” Father said, as he often did when they worked the fields together. Gohan smiled over at him, his own work clothes sweat-soaked and dirt coated, a sign of an “honest day’s work” as he put it. “I think it’s high time we took a break.”

Gohan nodded in agreement. Her body could easily keep going until sunset, but her stomach was starting to talk. Looking up at the sun, Gohan saw that it was in the noon position of the sky. Lunchtime had dropped on them faster than she had expected.

Father grabbed their cooler, now several pounds lighter thanks to the snack bars they’d eaten and the bottles of water they’d drank, and began the long trek back home. It would have been easy to fly back, Gohan could have carried him in her arms or called kinto’un to take them back to the cabin, but Father didn’t like that sort of thing. He preferred to get back on his own two feet and Gohan preferred not to upset him.

“Ya did good work today, Gohan-chan,” Father said as he dabbed the sweat on his forehead with the tail end of the cloth tied around his throat. His words were fond, although a bit tired, but the smile curling his lips was reassuring and bright. “But I reckon I kept ya from yer studies long enough. Why not take the rest of the day off?”

Gohan ducked her head and blushed, the extra warmth making her cheeks feel particularly toasty as they continued their walk. “I’m already ahead, Father,” she told him truthfully. “I can stay and help you a little bit longer.”

Father shook his head at the comment. “Now Gohan, ya know good an’ well ya gotta keep up a steady routine when it comes ta studyin’. The schools might reopen any day now an’ I want ya plenty sharp when yer classes start again.”

If possible Gohan’s cheeks only warmed more as her stomach rolled at the mention of school. It had been so long since her last class that Orange Star High School felt like a foggy, half-forgotten dream. High school had been fun at first, being in a place with so many people her age and doing the things that young people on television and the movies did had been intriguing, but the novelty had faded fast, the things that were different and exciting soon became confusing, then stressful, then…

“Father,” Gohan began hesitantly, “I was thinking… with the harvest so soon, maybe… Maybe I should put off school and just stay here with you.”

Father looked at her, eyes wide and mouth half agape the way Gohan had feared he would. He reached out a hand and grasped her wrist, stopping both of them in their tracks. “What’re ya sayin’?” Father asked, his startled words coming out in a rush. His dark brown eyes were searching and filled with concern, but Gohan couldn’t quite meet them, choosing instead to study the dirt on her boots. “I thought ya liked school. I thought ya were doin’ well an’ makin’ friends!”

“I just…” Gohan stopped herself from finishing that thought. She was tempted to tell Father about how odd she felt now after the tournament, after Buu, after… but she didn’t know how to put her fears into words that wouldn’t set him into a frenzy. If just throwing that thought out had gotten him riled up, she was certain that telling him the whole truth would be too much of a shock. “I just worry about you, Father,” she told him instead. “The field is so big now and every harvest leaves you more worn down than the last.”

The fingers on her wrist loosened, the touch shifting instantly from concern to fondness, and Father let out a hearty laugh that made the tension in Gohan’s shoulder ease up. “Oh Gohan-chan, ya don’t think much of yer ol’ Pa, do ya?” He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her flushed cheek and Gohan willed herself to look up and meet his gaze from underneath her lashes. “I may be an older man than when I started this here farm, but I’m still plenty young! I ain’t even forty yet, remember?” 

He removed his hand from around her wrist and lifted it into the air. Father curled his arm and flexed, causing the muscles beneath his skin to expand and bulge impressively. Gohan laughed at the sight and Father’s face split into a proud grin after achieving the desired response.

“Ya don’t hafta worry ‘bout me,” he assured her. “An’ if the work gets too much, I ain’t too stupid or too proud to ask for help. Yer Ma’s always ready to roll up her sleeves an’ get things done if I ask her.  
“Sides, ya worked so hard, Gohan-chan. I wanna make sure ya finish this school year so ya can walk across that stage an’ get yer diploma! Then… well, I can’t imagine any university would turn ya away once ya take yer exams an’ such.”

Gohan smiled and nodded, her throat feeling a bit tight at her Father’s words. It was a familiar picture he painted, one that he had planned out for as long as she could remember. Study hard, attend university, become a scholar… those were things Father always said when it came to her future, but the older Gohan got the stranger the image looked. Was it becoming clearer? Was this the reality she was really meant for? Maybe it was, because if the fight with Buu taught her anything, then it was that being a warrior still didn’t quite suit her. 

“My brilliant girl,” Father said as he slung a warm arm across her shoulder and pulled Gohan to his side. “My thoughtful girl! Always worryin’ ‘bout me an’ her ma an’ everyone under the sun! Where’d ya ever pick up a bad habit like that?”

Gohan laughed as the two of them walked clunkily along the beaten path. “Father,” she laughed knowingly and Father responded in kind.

“I know, I know!” he chuckled. “I ain’t no better! It sure figures that would be the trait the two of us would share.”

They continued on their walk, a comfortable silence that soon transformed into a lighter, more casual conversation. By the time the house was on the horizon, the only thing on Gohan’s mind was her rumbling stomach and impending lunch.

“I hope it’s curry,” Gohan said dreamily as they approached the front door. “Or fish stew.”

The scent of warm food and fresh herbs was filling the air and caused an extra spring to Gohan’s step. She was already pulling ahead of Father, but by now she was practically leaving him in the dust.

“Go ahead inside an’ find out,” Father said lightly. “I’m gonna wash off out back before I join ya.”

Gohan gave a nod and walked briskly towards the door. “I’m home,” she called merrily as she pulled the door open and entered the kitchen. “Is lunch almost ready?”

“Just about!” Mother greeted proudly. Her back was facing Gohan as she stood at the sink rinsing off a stack of utensils and plates. “An’ I hope you’re ready for a nice surprise.”

Gohan was in the middle of kicking off her work shoes when Mother’s comment gave her pause. “Surprise?” she echoed as she looked around the kitchen suspiciously. It wasn’t her birthday and Mother wasn’t exactly the gift-giving type. Maybe she had prepared a special dish? “What kind of surprise?”

Mother was all smiles as she turned around, wiping off her damp forearms with a nearby dishtowel. “You’ll see,” she said, all bright smiles and good cheer as she motioned for Gohan to have a seat. “Go on an’ sit. I’ll be back in a sec.”

Mother dropped her towel on the counter before walking briskly out of the kitchen. Gohan felt a bit confused, but followed instructions and pulled out her usual chair to have a seat at the table. It was only then that she noticed the extra chair and added plate and suddenly Gohan felt more confused. It had been some time since they’d had a guest for lunch, although most of their guests came in bigger numbers nowadays. 

The main door swung open and Gohan turned around to give Father a confused smile in greeting. “Where’s yer, Ma?” Father asked as he scanned the kitchen curiously. His eyes eventually landed on the stove where a set of covered pots were being kept warm. “She remembered ta’ make lunch, at least.”

“She went to get Goten and a mystery guest,” Gohan said, chuckling awkwardly.

“A guest?” Father repeated. “I reckon I should make some tea.”

“Lunchtime! Lunchtime!” Goten sang out merrily as she entered the kitchen. She knew better than to actually run, but her quick steps made it clear that she was doing her best to move as quickly as possible towards the table. “Gohan! Father! I finished my homework!”

“Ya did?” Father said brightly as he filled a tea kettle with fresh water before making room on the stove. “What a good girl!”

“Brother helped me,” Goten laughed as she pulled out her chair across from Gohan and sat down.

Videl entered the kitchen in the next moment, but Gohan’s insides were already growing stiff. His bright eyes landed on her, his face awkwardly pink, and suddenly Gohan was keenly aware of how sweaty and dirt coated she was. “Hello,” Videl greeted politely as he gave Gohan a wave and Father a very apologetic bow. “Sorry to drop in like this.”

“Ah, Videl! Yer our guest, eh?” Father chuckled. He had already placed the kettle on the stove and was now maneuvering a few of the warmed dishes onto the kitchen table. Were it just a month ago Father would have thrown Videl out on his ear, but things had changed quite a bit since their rocky first meeting and instead, he rewarded the boy with a teasing smile as he began to fill his plate first. “I reckon that means things are mighty dull in the city, eh?”

Videl nodded and sat down at the chair that had been placed next to Goten, who was eyeing Videl’s steaming plate of rice enviously. “You could say that. Crime has all but evaporated since Buu. Not that I’m complaining! It’s just… no police work and no school work leaves me with nothing to do.”

“That ain’t good,” Father tutted lightly as he moved on to serving Goten next. “It ain’t right for a boy yer age ta be idle. Idle hands lead ta trouble, ya know?”

“Maybe Videl can borrow some of Gohan’s workbooks!” Mother suggested brightly as she re-entered the room. She went straight to the stove and grabbed one of the bigger pots before bringing it to the table. Like Father, she served Videl first, before moving on to Goten’s plate. “That’ll give him somethin’ ta do.”

“Well, some of Gohan-kun’s courses are a bit more advanced than mine,” Videl noted awkwardly. “I doubt I’ll be able to keep up or do the work.”

“Gohan-chan, ain’tcha happy to see your friend?” Mother asked as she began ladling fish curry into Gohan’s plate. “He came all this way to see you! Showed up real bright an’ early.”

“Not that early,” Videl put in sheepishly.

“It’s a real surprise,” Gohan answered, before turning toward Videl and offering him a hesitant smile. “It’s good to see you, Videl-san.”

Videl’s face was a funny shade of pink and he ducked his head and mouthed the words “I’m sorry” to her as Mother and Father carried on portioning out food and making helpful suggestions. Gohan envied Goten, and she imagined Videl did as well. Goten merrily tucked into her food, devouring every bit of rice with enthusiasm and completely unaware of the awkward air that had filled the room.

*

“Well, I suppose I should get back to that laundry.”

“Goku-sa’! Ya didn’t hang the clothes right away?”

“Well, I had to get lunch goin’, didn’t I?” 

Father gave a tired sigh, one that Mother managed to smooth away by giving his cheek a gentle touch before heading outside to hang the damp clothes that had been waiting out in the yard. 

“I’ll help you, Mother!” Goten called. She gathered her empty dishes and deposited them on the counter before running outside.

“I reckon I’ll polish off these dishes, then.”

“That’s okay, Father,” Gohan said quickly, as she grabbed her own plates and cut him off from his path toward the sink. “I can handle it.”

“And I’ll help,” Videl volunteered, already doing his part to clear the table. 

Videl hadn’t meant anything by the comment, but it still caused Father to give him a suspicious frown. “Well, I suppose,” he began slowly. “I hafta head on back anyway.”

“I’ll catch up with you when I’m done,” Gohan offered, but Father was already shaking his head.

“We already talked about this,” he reminded her. “I can handle the rest of the work myself. Stay here an’ entertain yer guest… with the doors open, mind.”

Again Gohan blushed, but gave her father an obedient nod as he headed out the front door and pointedly left it wide open. 

“I really am sorry to barge in,” Videl said once they were alone. He had finished stacking the last dirty dish before moving on to grab the dish towel to prepare to dry. “I hadn’t planned to come over, but I just got into a real mood this morning and I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

“What happened?” Gohan asked curiously as she twisted the water on and began to scrub. 

Videl sighed and shook his head. “My dad,” he said simply. “Lately we’ve been able to avoid each other. The house is so big that it’s easy for our paths to never cross. But this morning I saw him in the kitchen and I just… I got so mad.”

“What did he do?” she asked, concern causing her to frown.

“He was making me breakfast.” Gohan waited for Videl to continue, but nothing else came and suddenly her concerned frown morphed into one of confusion. “I know how that sounds,” Videl said after a while, “but lately everything he does just sets me off! He’s playing the innocent goof, but he’s just a dirty liar!”

“You’re too hard on him,” Gohan sighed as she handed Videl a wet dish.

“Too hard?” Videl scoffed as he accepted the offered plate and began to rub. Despite his mood, Videl was mindful not to be too rough in order to avoid cracking the dish in half. “I’m not hard enough! I walked out instead of tearing him up, which is what I should’ve done! He’s a weasel.”

“He’s your father.”

“Why are _you_ defending him?” Videl huffed as he set the plate down on the counter before grabbing the next one. “You’re the one who should be angry. He stole your glory!”

“He didn’t do anything to me.”

“He made a fortune off of your accomplishment! _Twice_! Doesn’t that make your blood boil?”

“No,” Gohan said honestly. “I don’t want fame. I’m fine right here with my family.”

“You can have your family and get the recognition you deserve,” he countered. His voice was growing more exasperated with every word and Gohan watched the way his brows were knitting together as he rubbed the plate with a bit too much force. Clearly his irritation was making him careless. “I don’t understand why you won’t admit that this sucks.”

Gohan didn’t know what to say, so she kept quiet, choosing instead to keep scrubbing at dirty dishes and handing them over to her friend. They finished cleaning the cups and plates and put them back in the cupboard by the time Mother was done hanging the clothes with Goten. If Father were there, Gohan felt certain he would have hovered around and eavesdropped on their conversation, but not Mother. She seemed to piece together that they wanted to be alone and shooed them out the door while she double-checked that Goten had indeed finished her practice drills.

They flew off to the field where Gohan had first taught Videl to fly, but instead of training the two just sat cross-legged on the warm grass.

“I never thought I’d say this,” Videl began with a wry sort of smile, “but I kinda miss school.”

Gohan tittered at the weary tone and how Videl slumped his shoulders as if relieved that he had unburdened himself of that dark secret. “Have you really been that bored?”

“You have no idea!” he sighed. “There’s nothing to do. _Nothing_! I’m just wandering around at home, banging my head to figure out something to do and coming up empty.”

“Why don’t you call up a friend?”

“What do you think I’m doing here?” he laughed then suddenly stopped. This time instead of appearing relieved Videl looked mortified by his own words as if he had said too much. “That is… I…”

Gohan smiled and scooted closer to his side. “I’m glad you came by,” she told him truthfully. “It’s been a while.”

“I… yeah,” he stammered sheepishly, before pointedly clearing his throat and starting again. “Besides I figured you might have some tips for me. I, uh, I’ve been having some trouble when it comes to working out, ya know? None of my usual exercises have been much good. Ever since the tournament I just… I don’t feel challenged, ya know?”

Gohan nodded because she did know. It’s how she had felt before Buu had arrived, adrift and without a challenge. Then Bobbidi and his team of monsters had shown up and the challenge was all too real. “Well, I don’t really know how to create a workout plan for someone so…” 

Videl looked at her expectantly and she reconsidered her words. She knew how sensitive Videl could be and the last thing she wanted to do was insult him, but Videl was at a level far below her family and friends and frankly, she didn’t know how far she would be able to push him when it came to his training. Mastering flight had been difficult enough, manipulating ki had nearly caused him to collapse, and she was certain that sparing one on one would be downright dangerous.

“I’ve never set a training regime for someone,” she told him instead, “but I’m sure Piccolo-san might have some ideas.”

“Piccolo,” Videl repeated slowly, his face growing a bit pale and Gohan imagined that he was conjuring the image of Piccolo in his mind. “He’s the one who trained you first, right? The, uh, _tall_ one?”

Gohan chuckled at the way Videl pointedly avoided using the word “green” to describe her old sensei. “Yes, him,” she confirmed. “I was planning to see him and Dende at the Heavenly Realm tomorrow. Do you think you might want to come along?”

If possible Videl’s face grew paler as he squirmed in an obvious discomfort he was failing to hide. At first, Gohan thought the idea of Piccolo was the source of Videl’s discomfort, but quickly thought better of it. Videl’s last visit to the Heavenly Realm had likely been a traumatic one and Gohan felt terrible for even bringing that topic up in front of him.

“Or I could come to visit you after?” she offered helpfully.

“Yeah,” Videl said quickly. “You can come by… whenever.”


	3. Afternoon Tea

Yamucha couldn’t recall the last time they had welcomed visitors. They weren’t exactly in the middle of nowhere, but the far off village in the center of the valley might as well have been nowhere as far as he was concerned. Yamucha supposed he was spoiled from all those years of city living because the quiet little village was pleasant at times, but there were nights where he would lie in bed listening to the crickets chirping and long for the honk of a car horn to lull him to sleep.

The kettle on the stove began to whistle and Yamucha quickly removed it from the burner and poured the hot water into the waiting pot. The set was second hand, made of chipped cups with faded paint, but he knew his guest would care about its appearance even less than he did.

“I’m sorry to say, but I don’t really have much of a selection for you,” Yamucha apologized as he brought the tray out into the sitting room. “Just jasmine.”

Goku smiled pleasantly at the comment as she watched him place the tray on the table. “It’s fine,” she said indifferently. “I ain’t that big on tea anyway.”

Yamucha chuckled at her blunt words, but it was no more than what he had expected from Goku. “Well, let me at least pretend to be a proper host,” he chuckled.

“Proper, eh?” Goku repeated as she watched Yamucha serve her. “You sound a bit like ChiChi.”

Yamucha poured the tea into one of the nicer cups where it slushed dangerously close to the chipped rim before carefully handing it over to Goku. Despite her seeming lack of interest, Goku still sat down obediently and accepted the offered cup. “Well, I’ve been a guest in your home more than enough times. I guess he’s rubbed off on me a bit. Where’s the family, anyway?”

“Here and there,” Goku laughed as she added a twist of lemon to her tea. “ChiChi’s off working in the fields, Gohan’s visiting Piccolo and Dende, and Goten’s over at Bulma’s. I’m headin’ over there myself in just a little bit.” She took a slurping sip from her cup, her lips carefully avoiding the chips along the rim as she drank. “You here by yourself?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Pu’ar’s out getting supplies and Tenshinhan and Chaozu went into the woods to train.”

“You didn’t go with ‘em?”

Yamucha shook his head. “I didn’t feel up to it,” he told her. Yamucha felt his eyes drifting downward as he spoke. He covered the gesture by stirring his own tea. “Knowing him, he probably won’t be back until close to sundown.”

Goku gave a disappointed hum at the comment, her features clumping into a slight scowl. “Darn, I was hopin’ to talk to the both of you.”

His back straightened at the comment, the simple words causing a sort of charge to go through him as the fleeting thought of potential danger filled his heart. “Is something wrong? Should I…?”

“Nah, it ain’t nothin’ like that,'' Goku assured him swiftly. “I was just wonderin’...”

Her words faltered a bit, a strange hesitance falling upon Goku’s usually confident features. Somehow that look made him feel worse than the idea of another wave of evil invaders disrupting their peace. “What is it?” Yamucha asked, searching her dark eyes for answers before Goku could even speak. “Are you sure nothing’s wrong?”

“I’m sure.” She gave him a reassuring grin, one that did help to ease Yamucha’s worries. “Like I said, I wanted to talk to the both of you, but… Well, I suppose I can tell just you.”

Back straightened and ears open, Yamucha shifted a touch closer to feel certain that he wouldn’t miss a single word Goku had to say.

“You remember that we used the Dragon Balls a while back?” Goku began. “To revive the people killed in the tournament?”

Yamucha nodded despite the tightness in his throat. He remembered that afternoon as clearly as if it was happening right in front of his eyes. Even after all these years, he couldn’t shake the uneasy chill that gripped him when death was involved.

“Well, since only one wish was granted, I figured they’d be active again in another month or two,” she continued. “And I had a wish in mind.”

“A wish?” Yamucha repeated. Frivolous wishes weren’t Goku’s style. If she had something in mind to ask Shenlong, then it must be significant. Yet Yamucha couldn’t understand why her wish would involve him and Tenshinhan.

Goku nodded. “I wanted to ask the Dragon to bring back Buu.”

“ _What_?” Yamucha would have liked to say that he had barked the word, but even in his ears, he knew it was closer to a shriek. “Are you serious? Goku you can’t!”

“Calm down, calm down!” Goku’s hands reached across the table to grasp his and it was only when her calloused fingers were wrapped around his wrists that Yamucha realized that his lap was now warm and wet thanks to the teacup he had shattered in his hands. “I ain’t gonna bring him back the way he was!” she explained. “I wanna bring him back as somethin’ new.”

Yamucha still felt the panic pouring through his veins, his fingers shaking even as Goku held his arms in place, but he willed himself to keep an open mind and listen. This, after all, was the girl he had known for the better half of his life, someone who had saved him and the world more times than should be possible. The least he could do was listen to what she had to say.

“You see, the Buu I fought the first time... he wasn’t much different from a kid. He may have been a bit mean spirited, but that wasn’t Buu, it was Bobbidi.”

“So you want to give him a second chance?” Yamucha sighed, a wry smile pulling at his lips as the tension slowly began to slip from his limbs. A small laugh escaped him as he eased back down in his seat. “That’s just the sort of thing you would do.”

“He could be better, Yamucha,” she went on confidently. “I’m sure of it. If he had a real family and good people to raise him right this time, I’m sure he could be someone good.”

Yamucha frowned as he reached for a nearby napkin in order to wipe at the spilled tea soaking his clothes. He wasn’t entirely convinced. After all, the only version of Buu he knew was the one who had almost turned the world into a barren wasteland. They would have all been dead and gone forever if it hadn’t been for Goku and the kids… and Vegeta. “Well, even if that’s true… what’s it got to do with me and Ten?”

Goku’s features turned gentle, her smile maintaining its confidence, but growing a bit warm as she continued. “You and Ten have been together for a few years now,” she explained, “and I said right from the start that I’d help you start a family.”

A rock seemed to drop down in the pit of his stomach and Yamucha imagined that his eyes must have been the size of dinner plates as he stared at Goku’s warm, genuine smile. “You… you want _me_ -”

“And Tenshinhan,” she confirmed.

He felt his body pull back from the table as he stared with open surprise and quiet horror at Goku. The already tiny sitting room suddenly felt suffocating and Yamucha found himself getting to his feet so gracelessly that he was surprised he didn’t topple the table as he stood. “Go… Goku-chan… This is a lot to ask someone.”

“It ain’t much more than you wanted,” Goku countered. “You always said you wanted a family.”

“Well, I never wanted to raise a monster!”

“He won’t be a monster,” she reminded him. “I told ya, I want to bring him back as something new: as a human baby.”

“A baby that I’d look down at and see as what he was: a monster!” He shook his head at the horrible thought. Try as he might, Yamucha simply couldn’t see it the way Goku did. She was offering him something he’d always wanted, but it would be a twisted version of his fondest dream. “I… I don’t know if I can do this.”

His back was to her, but even with his mind reeling it was easy for Yamucha to sense her movements, to hear her climbing to her feet and moving beside him. She placed a firm hand on his shoulder and Yamucha had to admit he felt comforted by the touch. “You should at least think it over. Talk about it with Tenshinhan and see what he has to say.”

_I already know what he’s going to say,_ Yamucha thought bitterly. “I… I suppose I should.”

-

“Son-kun’s late again.”

Kuririn laughed at Bulma’s words and the overly dramatic sigh she used to punctuate them. The plate hit the table with a clatter, and he turned his eyes over to the wobbling cups for just a moment before switching his attention back to Marron’s shoelaces.

“Over, around, and through,” he sang out steadily, moving his hands slowly in order to allow curious young eyes to follow their movements. “Now the other one.”

Marron followed along as he looped the laces around each other and tied them into a knot. He was surprised and proud that she was able to keep her attention on him, especially since Goten and Trunks were making such a ruckus just a few yards away.

“You sound surprised,” Eighteen noted dully as she drummed her glossy fingernails along the surface of the patio table. “Isn’t she _always_ late?”

Bulma gave out a haughty _humph!_ as she brought over another tray and placed it a bit more gently on the table. “It just irritates me,” Bulma practically seethed. “I told her about my barbecue _days ago_ , but she still manages to be late!”

Kuririn laughed and gave Marron’s blonde hair a fond pat. “You’re all set!” he told her brightly. “Play nice now.”

“And if you lose your shoe again, we’re keeping it!” Eighteen teased.

“Okay!” Marron practically sang out before skipping over to where Goten and Trunks were busy turning a game or horseshoes into an extreme sport.

Sometimes Kuririn worried about Marron playing with those two, her being so young and Goten and Trunks being so strong, but he knew without a doubt that the two half-Saiya-jins would never do anything to hurt Marron.

Beneath the hard plastic table, a warm hand found its way to his knee, and Kuririn felt himself smile as he met the long fingers with his own and twined them together. Peaceful moments like this felt like a dream, holding hands with his beautiful wife while watching his daughter play, but knowing they were reality felt better than any dream ever could.

“Goku will show up,” Kuririn said knowingly. “She’d never pass up a meal.”

Bulma grumbled something under her breath, but Kuririn ignored it, choosing instead to focus on the stack of ribs fresh from the grill sitting right in front of him. The one nice thing about Goku being late was that he would get a chance to eat before Goku could inhale everything in sight. Eighteen must have been thinking along the same lines as she was currently assembling a plate for Marron while Bulma made a show of gathering the next round of food and bringing it outside.

As far as Bulma’s parties went, it was a rather small affair. After all, Kame Sennin had neglected to come, choosing to nap on the beach instead. Vegeta wasn’t around, which meant that he was likely training, and even Gohan didn’t seem likely to show up today. Yet it was only Goku’s tardiness that Bulma seemed to focus on and Kuririn had a feeling this “party” was just an excuse to lure Goku to the Capsule Compound.

“Is it time to eat now?” Trunks asked impatiently. Clearly the boy had lost interest in the game now that the smell of hot food was filling the air.

“I suppose so,” Bulma grumbled as she slid a plate of warm dumplings next to the tray of fresh grilled chicken. Her voice was struggling to sound cheerful, but the scowl on her face was ruining the effect. “We might as well eat while the food’s still hot.”

The words had just left her lips when a sudden energy spike caught Kuririn’s interest. He turned to look over his shoulder just as Goku’s image appeared out of thin air.

“Goku,” Kuririn laughed. “You’re right on time.”

“Mother!” Goten called out cheerfully. She was carrying Marron on her shoulders and running a bit too briskly for Kuririn’s liking.

“It’s about time you showed up!” Bulma snapped irritably. “We’ve been waiting all day for you. I’m sure the food’s all cold by now.”

“You just took it off the grill,” Eighteen said, but her words were quickly dismissed as Goku reached over her to grab an empty plate.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said, the weight of her apology undercut by her cheerful laugh. She handed one of the plastic plates to Goten before offering the next to Trunks who passed her by in order to get one directly from the table. “I was visiting Yamucha and lost track of time.”

“Yamucha, eh?” Kuririn said thoughtfully as Eighteen passed Marron’s plate his way. She had plucked the toddler off of Goten’s shoulder and was currently balancing Marron on her lap, while Kuririn got to work cutting the meat and vegetables into smaller pieces. “How are he and the others doing?”

“I dunno,” Goku confessed. She was busy dividing the food, switching back and forth between stacking her plate and Goten’s, and Kuririn knew it wouldn’t be long before she completely lost focus on the conversation in favor of the hot food in front of them. “I didn’t really see the others, but Yamucha seemed fine.”

Once her plate was completely obscured beneath a tower of grilled meat and steamed dumplings, Goku sat down between Kuririn and Bulma as Goten and Trunks scurried over to the smaller table. Marron began twitching and fidgeting in Eighteen’s lap, eager to join her friends, but Eighteen’s fingers grasped her little arm gently to still her movements. “You finish your food, then you can play,” she chided gently as Kuririn passed the plate back to her side of the table.

Marron pouted in disappointment, but when Eighteen placed a fork at her lips she still opened wide and accepted the food.

“I remember when Gohan was that age,” Goku said fondly. Her words were muffled thanks to the cheek full of chewed food, but the wistful smile was hard to mistake. “She didn’t wanna eat _nothin’_!”

“Gohan-chan? Really?” Bulma asked. Her foul mood had faded away and instead, she was focusing on sending the occasional glance towards Goten and Trunks to make sure they were eating instead of just making noise. Of course, the two knew how to do both quite well.

Goku nodded and popped a steamed pork bun in her mouth, swallowing it whole as if it were just a lemon drop. “Her appetite didn’t kick in ‘til she started trainin’,” she explained. “Then when she reached her teens it near doubled. Now she eats like me!”

There was a proud gleam in her eyes at that comment, but Kuririn couldn’t say he was surprised to see it.

“Trunks wasn’t like that,” Bulma added, jabbing at the chicken decorating her plate. “He was always a big eater, even as a baby. I’d say it’s because he’s a boy, but I see that Goten is much the same.”

Goku nodded and somehow her plate had already been picked clean. Kuririn would have been surprised, but he had known Goku long enough to know that she could inhale a whole buffet in the blink of an eye if she were motivated enough. “Yup, I never had any trouble feedin’ Goten,'' Goku agreed. “I may have trained her early, but even before then she was a hungry one.”

  
“At least we won’t have to worry about that with this one,” Eighteen said softly as she nodded down towards Marron who was still grumpily eating her lunch.

Kuririn chuckled and gave Marron’s soft legs a tickle. It was enough to bring a small smile to her lips, but she still seemed reluctant to finish her plate.

“That reminds me, Bulma,” Goku began, no longer distracted by the temptation of food. “Would you mind if I borrowed your Dragon Radar? Say in another month or so?”

“My Dragon Radar?” Bulma raised a skeptical brow at the question, her lips already curling in anticipation of whatever Goku had to say. “What are you planning?”

“It’s why I went to visit Yamucha,” she explained. “We’re gonna go on a hunt once the Dragon Balls are active again.”

“A hunt with Yamucha, huh?” Bulma laughed and Kuririn was relieved to hear that it wasn’t derisive or cold. There was still a shade of awkwardness between the two, but the bitter air had slowly disappeared over the last seven years and Kuririn was relieved to have them on civil terms again. He hated when Yamucha and Bulma quarreled. Choosing sides with them was always a difficult affair, never more so than after Trunks had been born. “Clearly he must have something in mind. What does he want? A new sports car? A boat?”

“Nothing like that,” Goku confessed, “but I think it’ll be a nice surprise.”

Bulma gave a soft frown at Goku’s cryptic answer but didn’t push for an explanation. Kuririn glanced at Eighteen and saw that she had the same apprehensive look that must have been on his face. Clearly Goku did have something specific in mind and her being secretive was worrisome, to say the least. Yet they were once again in an age of peace, so whatever it was couldn’t be too bad.

**Author's Note:**

> Like with the other stories in this series, this is an alternate universe where everyone in Goku's family is a different sex/gender, but the rest of the characters are the same.
> 
> Also in this timeline, it was Gohan and not Goku who defeated Majin Buu.


End file.
